In this decade, The Giants have won the WS in 2010, 2012 and 2014. They snuck into this year’s playoffs with 87 wins, the same as the Mets and 1 game better than St. Louis. Giants’ fans hope the even-year thing continues.

Two broadcasting legends called their final games Sunday. Vin Scully and Dick Enberg.

Today is the final game of the season for the Yankees. They are 84-77 after yesterday’s come-from-behind, 7-3 win over Baltimore.

There are three playoff spots still to be decided, and five teams fighting for those spots, so the possibility of a 163rd game is very real.

Unfortunately the Yanks have already been eliminated, so today is it for this year.

Eventually, the Yanks have to figure out what to do with Luis Severino. It is in their best interest that he develop into a good starter, but his splits this year make you wonder.

As a starter: 0-8, 8.50
As a reliever: 3-0, 0.39

He started yesterday, and gave up 3 runs in just 3 2/3 IP.

After the Orioles scored two off Severino in the third, and another in the fourth on Manny Machado’s 37th HR, the Yanks went to work, scoring one run in each of the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, and putting the game away with four in the eighth.

In the fifth, Mark Teixeira (whose last game will be today) singled, Chase Headley walked, and Austin Romine grounded into a forceout at third. Tyler Austin singled in a run to make it 3-1.

In the sixth, with two out, Billy Butler and Rob Refsnyder singled, and Headley doubled in a run.

In the seventh, Austin tied the game with his fifth HR of the year. All of his homers have been at home, and all by going the other way to right field.

In the eighth, Jacoby Ellsbury walked with one out. Headley doubled and Romine singled in two runs. After Austin struck out, Ronald Torreyes walked. Brett Gardner doubled in two runs.

I’ve seen reports that at the trade deadline, the Yanks were looking at Joe Panik from the Giants as compensation. It didn’t happen, and you wonder what the Yanks would have done with Castro if it did. Move him to 3B? What then with Headley?

As far as WAR (wins above replacement) this year, the Yanks’ best player in 2016 has been Masahiro Tanaka.

If this was the last HR of Mark Teixiera’s career, what a way to go out…with a walk-off grand slam.

The 5-3 win over Boston puts the Yanks at 82-76 and assures them a winning season. Their last losing season was in 1992.

The game was scoreless until the eighth, when Boston loaded the bases with one out. Mookie Betts doubled in two runs and another run scored on a passed ball. The inning started on an error by Castro.

The Yanks only had one hit in the game going into the bottom of the ninth.

Gardner (who got the only hit up to that point) singled. He moved up on defensive indifference, but Ellsbury walked anyway. A WP moved the runners up, and Sanchez walked to load the bases. He was pinch-run for.

Brian McCann walked to force in a run. 3-1 Boston. McCann was PR for.

Castro struck out and Didi popped up, setting the stage for Teixeira and his GW HR.

It was #15 of the season for Teix, #409 of his career.

Bryan Mitchell had a great start.

It was the first MLB victory for James Pazos.

The Yanks tragic # is 1. Just one Orioles win or Yankees loss will eliminate the Yanks from the postseason.

The Yankees scored 5 times in the top of the ninth and won 7-5 over Toronto in a game that saw a brushback battle, and Luis Severino, Joe Girardi, Rob Thompson and Larry Rothschild all ejected.

The Yanks go to 80-76 and close the season with six games at home. They are all but officially eliminated, being 5 out of a playoff spot with six games to go. The most wins the Yanks can have is 86. Toronto already has that and Baltimore has 85. Not only that, there are three teams between the Yanks and Baltimore.

In the first, Gardner got on on a bunt single (where was that all year) and went to third on a 2-base throwing error on the play. He scored on an RBI groundout by Sanchez.

In the bottom of the first, with one out, Severino hit Josh Donaldson with a pitch. A single and two walks later, the game was tied at 1. Severino got out of the inning giving up just that one run.

In the top of the second, Headley was HBP and the benches cleared. Girardi was tossed. In the bottom of the second, Toronto’s Josh Smoak was drilled, benches emptied and more ejections were made.

Toronto got two in the third to go up 3-1.

The Yanks got one back in the eighth. Gardner, who doubled, scored on an RBI single by Ellsbury.

In the ninth, Teixeira homered with one out (14) to tie the game. #408 of his career passed Duke Snider on the all-time list. Gregorius singled, and Hicks homered (8) to put the Yanks up 5-3. Solano doubled, Gardner walked, and Ellsbury singled in a run to make it 6-3. Sanchez got a SF to make it 7-3.

Betances came in and needed help. He once again looked completely out of gas and couldn’t field his position. Layne came in to save it.

James Kaprielian, who was dominant in spring training and in three games for High-A Tampa this year before being shut down with a flexor strain, is now OK and will be making up time in the Arizona Fall League this offseason. Good news.

If you are the manager of another team, and the score is tied, and the other team has runners on 2nd and 3rd with two out…

and the HOTTEST hitter in baseball is up at the plate…

do you pitch to him? Or walk him to load the bases for the next hitter, hoping for a force at any base?

And if you are the owner of a manager who decides to pitch to him anyway, only to see that batter hit a 3-run homer that wins the game, do you fire that manager?

For that is exactly what happened in the Yankees’ 5-3 win over Tampa Bay Tuesday night.

Of the 16 outs Michael Pineda recorded for the Yanks tonight, 11 were by strikeout. He gave up a two-run triple in the third to put the Yanks in a 2-0 hole.

Mark Teixeira hit a HR in the fourth to cut it to 2-1. Teix’s 13th HR of the year was #407 of his career, tying him with Duke Snider on the all-time HR list.

In the seventh, Ronald Torreyes and Mason Williams each singled. 1st and 3rd, one out. As I mentioned before, I think the Yanks should look at dealing Gardner for a decent starting pitcher and look into giving the LF job to Williams in 2017. He might platoon with Frazier (Williams vs. RHP, Frazier or Hicks vs. Lefties).

Remember Arte Johnson on Laugh-In? (Yes, I’m dating myself). He had a character that would say “VERRRRRRRRRRRRY INTERESTING!”. For that is what the AL East and the wild card spots are right now, and the Yankees, surprisingly after the trade deadline selloffs, are in the thick of it.

Gary Sanchez homered, and Mark Teixeira hit a grand slam, as the Yanks beat the Rays 7-5 on Friday night in a game that featured three rain delays. With the win, the Yanks’ sixth in a row, the Yanks are now 75-65.

So here is a look at how the AL East stands right now. Tampa Bay of course, is WAY back.

Very interesting, indeed. The Yanks have won 12 of their last 16 games. Ever since A-Rod and Teix announced their retirements, they have taken off.

The Yanks scored immediately in the bottom of the first when Ellsbury singled and Refsnyder doubled him home. After Sanchez struck out, Castro singled but Refsnyder was thrown out at the plate.

The Yanks got two in the third to go up 3-0. Sanchez homered (12), and after Castro struck out, Teixeira doubled. Didi moved Teix up with a groundout, and that was huge because Teix was then able to score on a WP.

Michael Pineda gave up back-to-back HR to Logan Morrison and Stephen Souza (Souza is killing us this series) in the fourth to cut the lead to 3-2.

But in the bottom of the fourth, with two out, Refsnyder and Sanchez singled, Castro walked, and Teix hit a grand slam to make it 7-2. Teix’s HR was #12 of the season and #406 of his career, putting him one behind Duke Snider on the all-time list.

The Yanks then held on, giving up two in the sixth and one in the ninth, to win 7-5.

One thing that worries me a bit: Betances has been struggling lately.

One thing about Sanchez. It’s not just the HR. It’s the defense as well. He picked a runner off of second in the game with that cannon of an arm he has.

Nice patience: The Yanks drew 11 walks in the game.

Once again, Girardi was Captain Hook, pulling a starter before the starter could go the necessary five for the win. At this point in the season, with extra pitchers available because of the extended rosters, and needing to play catch up in the standings, he is playing matchup more than usual. It’s all about getting the win, no matter who gets it.

One final note: Sometimes I get asked to be friends on Facebook. If I refuse or ignore it, please don’t be offended. I do make a distinction between friends and acquaintances. For example, I am opinionated, as you sometimes see in this blog. I don’t only write about the Yankees, but on other things as well, and in this election season, my viewpoints may or may not be to your liking. My friends know me. They see me. They’ve known me for a long time. They understand me. So if you only know me through this blog, don’t be offended if I don’t take you up on a friend request. As I mentioned, the distinction between friend and acquaintance. I hope you understand.

Jacoby Ellsbury homered, had three hits and drove in three runs, and Tyler Austin had two hits (both doubles) and 2 RBI as the Yanks beat Toronto 5-3 on Labor Day afternoon.

The win puts the Yanks at 71-65, 5 1/2 out of first in the AL East, still in 4th place, and keeps them 3 1/2 out of the second wild card spot. They still need to jump teams and probably have to go 18-8 against a tough schedule to make the playoffs.

But they aren’t going down without a fight.

Masahiro Tanaka, the Yanks’ best player this year (according to WAR on baseballreference.com) didn’t have his best stuff, giving up 10 base runners in 6 1/3 IP, but he gave up just two runs in improving to 12-4.

Because of some no-decisions early in the season due to the Yanks’ lack of hitting, Tanaka doesn’t have as many decisions as you’d think. He probably should be something like 17-6 or so. If he were that, he’d probably get CYA consideration. Maybe he still will. He has had an excellent season.

Tanaka gave up a run in the first, but the Yanks got two in the bottom of the inning on Ellsbury’s 2-run HR (7).

In the third, Austin doubled and scored on Ellsbury’s single to make it 3-1.

Austin doubled in two in the fourth to make it 5-1. Toronto made it close with two in the seventh.

Aaron Judge is still striking out too often, as he was 0 for 3 with 3 strikeouts today and has some 35 strikeouts in 65 at bats. He didn’t take his offensive frustrations out to the field however, as he saved two runs defensively. His diving catch saved one run, and he robbed another of a home run. At 6’7 1/2″, he hardly had to jump to bring back a potential home run ball from clearing the 8′ high fence.